New Beginnings
by sleepzzz
Summary: After the Jurassic World incident, Claire, Owen, and everyone else attempt to begin new lives- trying their hardest to stay away from anything related to the horrifying incident. But, events begin to unfold that may lead them to the very thing they've tried so hard to leave behind.
1. Chapter 1: The Start of a Beginning

**New Beginnings - Chapter 1 - The Start of a Beginning**

Bright, white rays of sunlight cascaded into a room of gray walls and white furniture. A white dining chair was occupied by a young woman- her fiery red hair aflame in the golden light streaming in through the large windows. The woman, Claire Dearing, cycled through a small stack of papers, dragging her fluorescent highlighter across the lines where she saw fit. Every once in a while, she would switch to a red pen, scribbling small notes in the cramped margins. The papers all differed from each other, but had just one thing in common: the words 'Job Opening' printed across the top.

Directly after the Jurassic World incident, Claire was forced into months upon months of press conferences, lawsuits, and business meetings. With Simon Masrani dead, everyone had looked to Claire to lead. She tried her best to remain calm and act as if she was in full control of the situation, but eventually that facade wore off, even with Owen supporting at her side. The traumatic events on the island changed Claire- for better or for worse. No longer wanting to be involved with the park, she (and Owen) left. They, alike to the remaining InGen employees, dropped off the face of the Earth.

Owen and Claire had moved to a small city in the middle of nowhere, hoping they would not be recognized. The pair lived an apartment: one located on a higher floor, giving them a view of the town below. The view of an industrialized city differed drastically from the lush jungle of Isla Nublar, giving Claire and Owen a further sense of security.

Now, Claire was searching for a new job- some task that didn't require her to be anally retentive and leading constantly; she was done with those types of jobs. But, she just couldn't decide what she wanted to do, although she was definitely overqualified for most of the jobs she was looking at. Owen, on the other hand, found a small job quickly, and was currently working at a local auto shop (his expertise being motorcycles).

"You wanna know what I think?" A deep, accented voice rang, jarring Claire from her thoughts. She looked up and saw Owen walking through the doorway. His green eyes twinkled as he approached Claire's seat. Claire raised her eyebrows.

"I think all that note taking crap isn't gonna help you. I mean, you're not a student studying for a test," Owen eyed her pile of marked papers and bleeding writing utensils. Claire rolled her icy blue eyes.

"Well, I think it helps," Claire defended, "How else do I find the right job?"

"You gotta listen," he started. Then, he placed his hand on his chest- right over his heart. "To this," he continued, his tone dipped in amusement. Claire scoffed.

"Alright, let me consult my heart real quick," she responded sarcastically. But, she couldn't quite suppress her smile from Owen's silliness.

"While you're at it, ask it if it would like to go out to dinner tonight, to its favorite restaurant down the road," Owen suggested, attempting to keep his voice serious.

"Hmm, my heart says it's a nice offer, but it would really like to get this job situation sorted out."

"C'mon, you've been at this for so long. And I know you're getting super stressed over this. I think you need a break." Claire paused. She looked at Owen. His expression was essentially smoldered in concern, causing Claire's heart to ache a little. She loved him so much, for so many reasons, with his huge caring nature being one of them.

"Okay, fine. We'll go out to a nice dinner tonight," she said. She smiled as she saw Owen's eyes light up.

"Yea, baby!" he shouted triumphantly, "You won't regret this, Claire."

"I'm beginning to," she sang teasingly. Owen smirked.

"Aw man, I'll even promise not to wear board shorts."

"Deal."

* * *

Owen looked around the dimly lit restaurant, watching all the customers and waiters. He and Claire had finished their meals, and were just, as Owen would say, 'chilling'.

"Not many people are here tonight," Claire observed. She was right. Other than Claire and Owen, there were only a few other tables occupied.

"Well, it is a Tuesday night. Everyone's probably exhausted from work and shit," Owen rationalized. Claire pursed her lips as she remembered her miserable job situation. "Ah sorry...didn't mean to upset you." Claire shook her head.

"It's alright," she sighed, "I just need to relax a little more." Claire and Owen were almost constantly on edge after the incident. Whereas Owen could loosened up easier, Claire was not so lucky. _I guess that's what I get for being so uptight in the past_ , she had told herself.

"That's what I like to hear," Owen said happily, "Get all that organized, itinerary-making 'Ms. Dearing' crap out your system."

"Thanks for insulting my name like that," she said playfully, "I am still called 'Ms. Dearing', itinerary-making or not, Mr. Grady," she retorted. She looked away, expecting to hear some witty, humorous response, but her ears were greeted with a long silence. She turned back to Owen. He was looking past her, as if in deep thought. At first, Claire thought she had upset him.

"Well then," Owen said quietly, unfreezing himself from his deep thinking state. Claire mentally let out a sigh of relief. Then, he began to rifle through his pockets. _What is he-_

He looked her right in the eye as he pulled out a little box from his pocket. He opened it and set it on the table; the ring inside shined brilliantly, despite being in dim lighting. Claire's eyes widened. Owen's lips turned into a small smile.

"How would you like to be Mrs. Grady instead?"

* * *

 **a/n:** so i havent written in a really long time so im sorry if its bad :( i also have never written a jurassic park fanfic and im very new to the fandom…but i really enjoyed the movie and wanted to write something for it soo yea

and i know the title is very cliche but its a work in progress...i have no idea what to name this (i have a lot of trouble naming things if you cant tell already lol)

i should also add that i have no idea what the update schedule will be for this story (sorry!)

and im sorry this is super short but i just really wanted to get this published quickly

so, sorry for all these things :s

but thanks for reading! i _really_ appreciate it. hope to see you next time :)


	2. Chapter 2: Unexpected Events

**New Beginnings - Chapter 2 - Unexpected Events**

 _Previously..._

He looked her right in the eye as he pulled out a little box from his pocket. He opened it and set it on the table; the ring inside shined brilliantly, despite being in dim lighting. Claire's eyes widened. Owen's lips turned into a small smile.

"How would you like to be Mrs. Grady instead?"

* * *

 _BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP._ Owen's heart pounded against his ribcage. He tried to convince himself that there was nothing to be worried about, but his gut knew better.

After spending more and more time with Claire, Owen just fell more and more in love. As the days passed, everything- their little dinner dates, playful fights, restless nights comforting each other- helped Owen make his decision.

Owen knew he wanted to propose, but he couldn't think of when (usually Claire did all the planning). His unpreparedness didn't bother him though (obviously); it was the fact that he honestly didn't know how Claire would respond that scared him shitless, and he wasn't easily scared.

With, what he dubbed, 'new Claire', nothing was certain. Before, she was cold and seemingly unbreakable 100% of the time. Now, she was virtually unpredictable; she was way more caring, and her breakdowns seemed to happen more frequently. But sometimes her old personality would slip through (and she could say some real nasty stuff). Owen actually half expected Claire to just shoot him down right away, and he didn't know what to do if that happened.

"Owen...," Claire began, her voice soft.

"I know, I know...it's so sudden and unexpected...but that's me, right?" Owen chuckled, hiding his nervousness. Claire gave a small smile.

"I just...I don't know...," she continued. She was trying to keep her voice steady, "A-Are you sure about this? With...me?" Over time, Claire learned that unexpected occurrences were not the devil, and that she could handle them. But, something as big as this? It distressed her to no end. There were so many possibilities, and, what seemed like, so little time to decide. Millions of thoughts flooded her mind. _Should I? Am I right for Owen? What if-_

"Hey, calm down," Owen said, trying his best to comfort her. He could see that she was getting stressed out. "Don't worry about it. There's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my living days with."

"...Really?"

"Yes, really. C'mon, Claire, who else is going to stop me from wearing board shorts to important events? And who else is going to stop you from creating itineraries everyday?" Owen joked, trying to soothe both his and Claire's distress. Claire laughed, causing Owen to grin like crazy. Both of their anxieties evaporated. Owen was right. They needed each other. _We did say we would stick together...for survival._ Claire paused. Then, she took a deep breath.

"You're right," Claire began. She pulled the ring from the box before Owen could react, and slipped the cool metal accessory onto her finger. "But I don't like the sound of Mrs. Grady. Maybe _you_ should become Mr. Dearing," she teased. Owen tried to smirk, wanting to mirror her humor, but couldn't help but beam at Claire's acceptance.

"I'll take that as a 'yes', Mrs. Dearing-Grady," he said, taking her hand in his.

"Of course, Mr. Grady-Dearing."

* * *

Over the next few days, Claire and Owen discussed their plans about their wedding and honeymoon. At the end, they decided on no ceremony, due to the fact they were still "laying low". But, they did agree to a honeymoon.

"I take it that it went well?" Owen stopped his cheerful whistling to look at Barry. He had talked to Barry about his proposal plans. After all, they were best friends.

"Yea, man. I was scared shitless in the beginning though," Owen said while handing a wrench to Barry. Barry smiled, and took the tool and began working on a car part. After the park fiasco, Barry had decided to stick with Owen for a while. The two ended up getting jobs at the local auto shop together.

"Did you ever think you'd end up here?" Barry inquired. Owen raised his eyebrows.

"What, workin' a job at an auto shop with my best friend?" Owen responded, "Maybe a little. You know, if the raptors decided they didn't like their alpha," Owen said jokingly. Owen and Barry could talk about the past, without any worry about upsetting one another too much. But, they kept their references light. Nothing too heavy.

"Funny," Barry said sarcastically. He opened his mouth to say something, but then a middle aged man walked into the garage.

"Good afternoon, boys!" the customer greeted. Owen and Barry greeted him as another employee came out to talk to him.

"Okay, sir. I'll bring your car 'round front. Be back in a bit," the employee said. The man smiled and nodded, then proceeded to unravel a newspaper to read. Barry and Owen continued their work in silence.

"Ha! The local zoo is hiring. Wonder if some employees got eaten or something," the man laughed. Barry smiled at the man's joke, not wanting to upset him, but Owen was staring intently at the paper.

"Owen?" Barry murmured. Owen stood up, and strided over to the man. He looked up from the newspaper.

"Can I see that paper when you're finished?" Owen asked politely. The man smiled.

"Of course! Take it, it's yours now," he said happily. Just then, Owen and Barry's coworker pulled up in front. The man bid his farewells, and drove off. Owen was left reading through the paper.

"I didn't know you were so interested in news," Barry observed, his tone jocular.

"I'm not," Owen muttered, concentrated on the job opening. Then, Barry realized what Owen was doing. He stood up, and snatched the article from Owen's hands.

"Hey!" Owen protested. Barry kept his voice stern.

"You are _not_ going to get a job at the zoo!"

* * *

 **a/n:** i cannot thank you all enough for all the wonderful responses i got for the first chapter (whether it was a review, story follow, or story favorite!)! seriously, i love every single one of you! you all are amazing! :)

but yea sorry my chapters are so short. in my opinion, i think the end of the chapters are good stopping points. hope thats understandable :s (plus its the beginning so its just like set up at this point)

anyway thanks for reading another chapter! looking forward to seeing you in the next one! :)


	3. Chapter 3: Here We Go Again

**New Beginnings - Chapter 3 - Here We Go Again**

 _Previously…_

"I didn't know you were so interested in news," Barry observed, his tone jocular.

"I'm not," Owen muttered, concentrated on the job opening. Then, Barry realized what Owen was doing. He stood up, and snatched the article from Owen's hands.

"Hey!" Owen protested. Barry kept his voice stern.

"You are _not_ going to get a job at the zoo!"

* * *

"C'mon Barry! Don't you think it'd be great for us?" Owen argued. Barry shook his head.

"This is insane. We have no experience in zookeeping."

"We raised _raptors_. I think we can handle the local prairie dogs."

"Owen, do you really think raptors are anything like regular zoo animals?"

"Barry, it'll just be like the old days. Just you, me, and the animals. Don't you miss the old raptor days?" Owen said, a bit wistful. Barry's expression softened.

"Of course I miss our girls. But that's in the past, Owen. They're not here." Barry and Owen stood in silence for a second.

"We could at least check it out," Owen suggested.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt. We'll go after work," Barry agreed. Owen smiled and punched Barry's arm lightly.

"That's my man." Barry smiled back, and both of them returned to work. For the rest of the work day, Owen and Barry's minds filled with fantasies of this new opportunity, and reminiscences of the past. _It would be great to work with animals again, but nothing could ever come close to the raptors._ Owen thought sadly. Then, he chuckled slightly. _But this time...no chances of me being eaten._

* * *

The afternoon sun radiated upon the Earth, its brilliant rays shining on man and animal alike. There was a perpetual buzz in the air: children's sounds of awe, parents' conversations, and animalistic roars. The sea of visitors shuffled along from exhibit to exhibit, drinking in the sights of the creatures in front of them. Among the mob were Owen and Barry.

"Man, I haven't been to a zoo for so long," Owen said.

"You don't consider Jurassic World a zoo of sorts?" Barry said. Owen shook his head.

"Nope. You don't see any dinosaurs here, right?"  
"I saw a crocodile a few exhibits back."

"Quick, get my clicker! Gotta teach that croc' hide 'n seek," Owen joked. Barry laughed in response. The two kept walking, viewing the displays, and commenting on each one.

The two eventually reached the lion cage. The enclosure was essentially a pit in the ground, with the lions living at the bottom. The cage was circular, allowing visitors to walk the full 360 degrees around it. Railing encircled the pit's rim.

Barry and Owen joined the rest of the visitors peering into the cage. There were few visitors around the lion enclosure. With Owen and Barry was a young couple, a small family of 3, a group of women, and a pack of teenagers. All watched the lions roam about their business.

After a while, one of the teenagers stood on the railing. His friends laughed with him as he loudly sang _The Circle of Life_ , holding a stuffed lion from the souvenir shop in front of him. Some had their cell phones out, recording their friend's performance.

Suddenly, a large gust of wind swept through the area, which caused the teenager to lose his grip on the toy. As it started falling, he reached for it, just a little too far, and tipped forward...into the cage.

Everyone rushed forward, gripping the railing, leaning over slightly, and trying to get a view of the boy. There was a loud groan of pain from the bottom of the pit. The lions stopped their activities, their gazes locked on the source of commotion in their home.

Owen and Barry looked on, not exactly horrified, unlike the rest of the spectators. Owen looked around. No employees; no help.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered. He took off his bag, and began to climb the railing. Barry reached out and stopped him.

"Owen, no. This is dangerous," Barry said, concerned. But he knew it was a lost cause. He could see the determination in Owen's eyes. It was exactly like the past.

"No one else is going to help that kid," Owen responded.

"These aren't the raptors. These animals have no idea who you are," Barry tried to reason.

"Well, they're about to find out." Owen shook off Barry's already-loosened grip, and jumped over the railing. He landed alright; no pain felt, just a bit wobbly. His eyes swept the cage quickly. He noted three lions. There was a door behind him and the kid, which he assumed the zookeepers came out of. Then, he locked eyes with one of the lions. Instinctively, he held up both hands.

"Okay, it's just you and me," he said. Then he turned his gaze to the other two lions, making eye contact with each animal, acknowledging them, and making sure they acknowledged him. "And you. And you." Behind him, Owen heard the kid shuffling.

"What the-," the kid mumbled as he began to stand, a bit disoriented from the fall.

"You okay?" Owen said, still maintaining his eye contact with the lions. They slinked around, slowly getting closer and closer.

"Yea...wait, what?!" the teenager seemed to wake up and realize he was in a cage. With lions. "Dude get us out of here!" The lions growled at the loud outburst, crawling forward a bit more. Owen straightened.

"Hey! Back. It. Up," Owen said sternly to the approaching creatures. The lions didn't listen completely but they did stop for a second, and roared at Owen and the boy. One lion broke off, and attempted to leave Owen's sight. Owen twisted his body slightly, so the lion's attempt failed. It froze as it was caught in Owen's vision. "Don't think I don't see you."

"Oh my god, I'm going to die!" the boy sobbed, his voice shaking. The lions roared yet again.

"Stop doing stupid shit, like yelling at the top of your lungs," Owen said angrily.

"Excuse me?"

"Just listen to me," Owen said, ignoring the teenager, "When I say so, make a break for the door behind us."

The lions were getting too close. Owen thrust his arms out yet again, taking a small step forward. The lions took a small step backwards. "Good, good." Owen knew he couldn't do this for much longer. He watched their body language, looking for when they decided they had enough. The lions crouched a bit. They were about to pounce.

"Here! Come here!" Owen heard a voice yell behind him. From the source, he knew the zookeeper door had been opened. Now or never.

"Go!" Owen commanded, as he turned and started running towards the exit, right on the teenager's heels. The lions roared, and he heard them dashing right behind him. _Just...a few more...seconds…_ Owen could have sworn he heard the lions' breaths.

 _3…_

 _2…_

 _1…_

Owen and the teenager dove into safety, and the zookeeper slammed the door shut.

Owen laid on the ground for a bit, his chest heaving. He faintly heard the zookeeper saying a thousand apologies, and the teenager whispering slurs of curse words over and over.

"Sir, are you alright?" the zookeeper questioned. Owen coughed and nodded. He slowly stood up, and looked over at the shaking teen.

"You know, dangling yourself over a lion pit isn't the smartest thing," Owen said. The boy looked at him.

"Are you, like, some lion whisperer?" he said, ignoring Owen's comment.

"Hm, I'd prefer something cooler than lions," Owen remarked, "But, no. I just...know what I'm doing…," he trailed off. His mind flashbacked to so long ago, in the raptor cage.

"Owen!" Barry called. Owen turned to see Barry rushing towards him. "Thank God that went well."

"Looks like I've still got it, huh?"

"Don't let this get to your head, friend. I better not see you attempting this with the local squirrels or something."

"You betcha. Let's just call it a day, head home, and hope I never have to do that again."

* * *

A muted TV casted a faint blue glow upon a shadowy office, being the only source of light. On screen, shaky cellphone footage was projected of a certain someone surrounded by three lions. A man sitting in the dark office turned on the sound, his interest stimulated by the news story.

" _A teenager had fallen into the enclosure. As you see in the footage here, a man jumps in after the teen, and keeps the lions back. Many wonder…-"_

"Sir!" a woman burst into the room. "We fou-"

"I know," the man said, grinning slightly at the television. The man turned to face the woman. "Get the team ready. I think this plan is ready to commence." The woman nodded, and the man grabbed the office phone, dialing a number. He heard the other side pick up.

"The plan has started. Begin phase one…," he said. He looked up at the TV, as the footage zoomed in on the man in the cage.

"...and obtain Owen Grady."

* * *

 **a/n:** yea what happened was a bit farfetched :? hope that didnt spoil the scene :| thanks for reading yet another chapter! hope to see you in the next one :)


	4. Chapter 4: Everything At Once

**New Beginnings - Chapter 4 - Everything At Once**

 _Previously…_

"The plan has started. Begin phase one…," he said. He looked up at the TV, as the footage zoomed in on the man in the cage.

"...and obtain Owen Grady."

* * *

Owen opened the white door leading to his and Claire's apartment. As he stepped in, he flipped a switch, and the corridor light flickered on. He shut the door behind him, and began walking towards the opening at the end of the hall, which led to the living room. Suddenly, he heard the _thump, thump, thump_ of something hurrying towards him.

Clad in a black tank top and shorts, with a thin blanket draped across her arms, and frizzy red hair curling around her face, Claire appeared in the doorway. Concern washed over Owen as he noted her red, puffy eyes; she had been crying. Owen rushed towards her, his arms outstretched and ready to embrace her. But Claire took a small step back.

"Claire?"

"Owen...I had thought…," she whimpered.

"What? What's wrong?" Owen asked, confused. Then, he glanced past Claire's shoulders, into the living room. The room was dark, except for the television light. On screen, Owen saw himself, in the lion cage. Now understanding, he mentally cursed at himself. He had probably made Claire worried sick.

"Owen...what were you _doing_?" she questioned, her voice quivering.

"Barry and I decided to check out the local zoo after hearing about possible job openings," Owen explained quickly.

"The _zoo_? You really thought that was the _best_ option for a new job?" Claire asked, raising her voice slightly.

"I saw an opportunity, and I went for it."

"The most dangerous opportunity! You were just _visiting_ , and this happens!" Claire jestered to the TV behind her.

"It's not like I _planned_ that! And even though it's not the safest, its the most interesting!"

"Interesting? You want interesting over your life?"

"Better than sitting in an auto shop all day fixing lifeless vehicles."

"I thought you enjoyed that."

"Yea...but as a _hobby_."

"A relatively _safe_ hobby," Claire said, her voice returning to normal. Owen let out a small sigh. He knew Claire was only acting like this because she was very scared and worried. But Owen needed something else in his life other than greasy automobiles, and it was frustrating him to no end.

He recalled his experiences at Jurassic World. He had spent years upon years with his raptors, and then in a single day, he had lost them all. Sitting around all day fiddling with machines didn't fill the hole in Owen's heart. But, his love for Claire shadowed these feelings.

"If it makes you happy," Owen said, taking Claire's hand in his. Green eyes locked with blue. "I won't go back." Claire blinked. _Now you've gone and done it,_ Claire thought to herself. She just didn't want to lose him, not after so many times where she thought she had, back at the park. But she didn't want to hold him prisoner either. Owen had done so much for her, and she needed to be there for him now.

"No, Owen...Go...Go do what you want. Don't let me hold you back," Claire decided.

"Claire…," he began.

"You better come home everyday with all your appendages accounted for," Claire smiled. Owen grinned back and pulled her into a hug. They stood like that for a while. Claire pulled away.

"Well, how about we plan our honeymoon?" Claire suggested, "I was right in the middle of it when I saw an insane man jump into a lion pit."

"Making itineraries already?"

"Oh, shut up."

"You know it's true!"

* * *

 _A few weeks later…_

After spending years on Isla Nublar, Claire and Owen had experienced enough tropical weather to last them lifetimes. Thus, the two decided on a honeymoon destination further north. Mountaineering, ski resorts, and any other non-tropical activity.

When the two returned, Claire had gotten sick ("I think my natural habitat is behind a desk…," she had complained.). If she wasn't laying in bed, she was heaving into the toilet.

"I'm staying here," Owen said sympathetically. He was kneeling next to the bed where Claire laid on her side, groaning in pain.

"I-it's alright," she assured with a shaky voice, "You go to your interview. I'll b-be fine." Owen seemed to be rooted in place.

"Claire, I'm not going to let you puke your guts out while I'm at a zoo."

"And I'm not going to let you miss an important opportunity just because I'm sick." Claire stood up. Owen quickly got up as well, reaching out to catch her if she fell. She held out her hands, signaling him to stop. She wobbled a bit, but then remained still. "See? I'm better. Now go!" Owen protested a few more times, but Claire made it clear that she would not give up.

"Okay, I'll go. Do not hesitate to call me if something happens. I'll come right back," Owen said. The two walked to the front door. There, Owen wrapped his arms around Claire. Claire squeezed back, and nodded into his chest. They broke apart, and Owen opened the door.

"Good luck!" Claire said with a smile. "I love you."

"Love you too," Owen said, mirroring her smile. He walked out and closed the door. Immediately, Claire's smile dropped as she dashed to the bathroom, and hurled into the toilet.

* * *

Owen stepped out of the car, staring at the zoo entrance in the distance.

"Thanks for dropping me off, Barry," Owen said. Barry nodded.

"It was no problem, I was on my way to the garage anyway," Barry said, "Good luck, my friend."

"You got it." Owen watched as Barry drove off, and then started walking towards the visitor center. Upon entering, a woman, dressed in a dark brown business suit, was standing near the front desk, smoothing out her skirt. Then, she spotted Owen. Her brown eyes lit up.

"Mr. Grady?" she called. He smiled politely, and joined her.

"That would be me." The woman smiled.

"Perfect! Follow me," she commanded, walking out of the building. Owen did as told, and tailed her. "You know, all my coworkers saw that footage of you in that lion cage."

"Really?" Owen didn't recall them finding out his name. _Eh, probably revealed myself in a stupid slip up._

"Yes! We were all wondering how you accomplished that incredible feat."

"Sorry, trade secrets," Owen joked.

"Trade...secrets?" the woman repeated. She stopped in her tracks. "What kind of trade?"

"Haha, it's classified," Owen continued to banter, hoping to get out of this conversation. The woman turned around, a smirk plastered on her face.

"Hm, wrong answer, _Owen_ ," she said. Before he could react, he felt something slam into his head. _Hard._ He fell, cradling the side of his head. _Shit,_ was Owen's last thought before the world around him disappeared into darkness.

* * *

Claire sat in a dining room chair with a notepad sitting in front of her. She had written down all her symptoms; she was going to find out what exactly was wrong with her. When her list was finished, she pulled out her laptop, and searched for any illnesses that correlated with her symptoms.

After, what seemed like hours, searching, she had only one answer that strongly sounded like her current sickness. But, there was only one way to find out for sure. Claire dressed herself, and walked out the door.

* * *

"Mr. Grady?" A faint voice called. Owen slowly opened his eyes. Leaning over him was a _very_ familiar face. Owen shot up, and back away from the man standing next the bed. Owen nearly spat out the name.

" _Dr. Wu._ "

* * *

 _What am I going to do?!_ Claire thought frantically. She was currently sitting on the bathroom floor, hastily opened boxes and little pink sticks strewn about her. _It's real._ The evidence was in the litter around her. Claire gathered herself off the floor. When she reached the bedroom, she snatched her phone off the nightstand. She punched in Owen's number, and hit the green call button.

 _RING!_

 _RING!_

 _RING!_

 _You've reached the voicemail of (XXX-XXXX). Please leave a message after the tone. BEEP!_

"Owen, please come home as soon as you can! I really need you right now," Claire almost wept into the phone. For the next few hours, she kept calling him, and had probably left a thousand messages. But he wasn't picking up. Now on top of her sickness, worry gripped her heart. _Where is Owen?!_ She need someone to talk to. Someone to tell; someone who could help her.

Claire scrolled through the contacts on her phone. Nearly all of them were old coworkers from the park. Claire almost gave up hope, until she reached a certain number. Thinking about it, Claire knew this was the best choice. She clicked the green call button.

 _RING!_

 _RING!_

 _RING!_

" _Hello?"_

"Oh thank God," Claire cried in relief.

" _Claire? Is that you? What's wrong?"_ Claire drew in a shaky breath. She had to admit it; she had to admit what was going to happen to her.

"Karen," she said softly, "I think I'm pregnant."

* * *

 **a/n:** yup.

thanks for all the reviews, story favorites and story follows (for like the millionth time :p) ill try to update asap. :)


	5. Chapter 5: Lessons Never Learned

**New Beginnings - Chapter 5 - Lessons Never Learned**

 _Previously…_

Owen slowly opened his eyes. Leaning over him was a _very_ familiar face. Owen shot up, and back away from the man standing next the bed. Owen nearly spat out the name.

" _Dr. Wu._ "

* * *

"I'm glad to see you recognize me, Mr. Grady," Henry Wu said, his dark eyes gleaming. Owen's eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"Recognize you? You were the reason why innocent people died on that godforsaken island," Owen fumed. _And the reason why Claire still wakes up in the middle of the night screaming at the top of her lungs,_ he desperately wanted to add, but, he didn't need Henry to get involved with his personal life. The corner's of Dr. Wu's eyes crinkled slightly as he gave a small smile.

"Ah, yes, the park incident was unfortunate. One of my most marvelous creations...lost within a span of hours. As for those killed...I could argue that you are just as responsible as I am." Wu's eyes bore into Owen's glare. Henry wasn't fazed at all; all Owen could see was amusement in Wu's expressions. And that pissed Owen off to no end.

"Me? Responsible? I didn't create a _killing_ machine."

"Responsibility is a broad word. I was solely responsible for designing a more...advanced asset. You were responsible for letting it out," Henry said apathetically. Owen remembered all those coworkers he saw killed; he thought of all those who would be tormented for the rest of their lives. _He doesn't care about anything other than to cook up dinosaurs._

Owen balled his fists. Then, he lunged towards Wu. The scientist backed up, and held out his hand, signalling Owen to stop.

"I wouldn't recommend doing that," he said sternly, eyeing Owen's fists. "There are guards lined up outside, ready to jump in here if something happens." Owen halted.

"Okay…," he said through clenched teeth, "What exactly do you want with me?" Dr. Wu smiled, and procured a small, electronic tablet from the pocket of his pristine, white lab coat.

"I guess we're jumping right into business." Wu turned on the device, the bright screen lighting up his face. "I'll have you know, I've been searching for you ever since the events at Jurassic World. You did a good job disappearing, but your little stunt in the lion cage revealed yourself." Owen mentally cursed at himself. "But I digress."

"The Indominus was exterminated, as you saw. So, I've been experimenting since the incident, to engineer something better," Wu explained, "I designed a species based on the Indominus. But, it would be significantly more advanced than the rex."

"Hoskins talked about this," Owen realized, remembering when he (and Claire, Gray, and Zach) had found the lab. "You're actually going through with that insane plan? Haven't you scientists learned anything?"

"What's the goal of any scientist? To achieve the unthinkable; to make breakthroughs; to pioneer the future. Learning from past mistakes is a part of that," Henry said sharply, "It's not insane; it's merely me achieving my goals."

"So why would you need me? Sorry to break it to you, but I'm no scientist."

"I wouldn't need another scientist," Wu said pointedly. "But I admit, I _do_ need you." He pulled up a calendar on his electronic tablet. "You have impeccable timing, Mr. Grady."

"Timing?"

"The eggs are scheduled to hatch within the next few days, and-"

"And you want me to train them," Owen said, his epiphany coming into fruition. Dr. Wu smiled.

"You are correct, Mr. Grady," Wu said with satisfaction, "I'd rather not have my specimen go askew."

"Well, I down-right refuse. I refuse to be a part of this; I will not have blood on my hands through you. And I sure as hell will not work with your crazy ass," Owen said hotly.

"That's unfortunate," Wu said with faux sympathy, "It would be a shame if something were to happen to your beloved Ms. Dearing," he continued, turning the tablet towards Owen. The device's screen displayed a blurry, faraway photo of Owen and Claire on their honeymoon. Owen felt his blood boil.

"You lay one finger on her, and you will no longer have an _arm_ ," he seethed. Henry smirked.

"So, do we have an agreement?" Wu said confidently. Owen stalked over to the doctor, and stood face-to-face with him, nearly breathing on him.

"I'll work for you, but let's get one thing straight. _Nothing_ happens to Claire."

"Agreed, so long as you cooperate. I'll see you in the morning, Mr. Grady," Dr. Wu said. With a final smile, he walked out of the door. Fuming, Owen sat down on the bed. He looked at his surroundings for the first time.

As far as he could tell, he was in a cabin of sorts. The walls and floor were made out of wood, as with most of the furniture. Along the long side of the rectangular abode, Owen sat on the bed, which was backed against a corner. Along the same side, the small kitchen laid in the opposite corner, with an open door next to it, leading to the bathroom. Across from the kitchen, along the short side, was the "living room" (a couch, arm chair, and a fireplace). In the final corner was the exit door. _I'm going to be here for a while..._ Owen thought. _But_ how _long exactly is the question._

* * *

 **a/n:** thanks for reading :) sorry its kinda short and boring :(


	6. Chapter 6: Together? For Survival?

**New Beginnings - Chapter 6 - Together? For Survival?**

 _Previously…_

 _I'm going to be here for a while..._ Owen thought. _But_ how _long exactly is the question._

…

Claire drew in a shaky breath. She had to admit it; she had to admit what was going to happen to her.

"Karen," she said softly, "I think I'm pregnant."

* * *

 _A few weeks later…_

"Yea, yea, I hear ya. I'll get to you in a sec, B," Owen grumbled as he used his forearm to wipe the sweat perspiring on his forehead. Below, little dinosaurs circled around him. One in particular angrily snapped at his knees. "Hungry little shit, aren't ya?" Owen said affectionately. In response, the dinosaur yapped, as if in agreement.

Owen reached into the metal pail next to him, pulling out a slab of raw meat, and held it out to the moody one. It screeched happily as it gulfed down its meal. "There you go, B." He yanked a towel off that was resting on a nearby tree branch, and wiped the blood off his hands, watching the young animals dash around the enclosure.

Yet again, Dr. Wu had given him four dinosaurs, and had assigned their names- Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon- after the Greek alphabet. Owen held a certain animosity towards the names, and gave them nicknames instead (Beta was B, Gamma was Gam, Delta was Del, and Epsilon was Ep). They reminded Owen of the raptors, but these dinosaurs were much more aggressive and intelligent.

"Mr. Grady?" a high pitched voice called above. Owen looked up, his hand instinctively cupping his eyes from the blazing sun. Alike to the raptor enclosure, this cage had catwalks running above. Owen saw a woman leaning over the railing, her blonde ponytail spilling over her shoulder.

"Can I help you?" Owen yelled. He wasn't expecting anyone to visit him. _Hell, the only people I talk to on this goddamn island are Wu, the dinosaurs, and that flippin' security guard that follows me around 24/7._

"Yes; can I enter the cage?" the woman inquired.

"You sure you want to come in?" Owen asked, eyeing her pressed suit and high heels.

"Yes."

"Alright, I'm coming to let you in." Owen walked to one edge of the massive concrete walls, and clicked the 'unlock' button on the electronic panel next to the door. It swung open, and standing on the other side was the woman, holding a clipboard in one hand, and a cell phone in the other. Then, she placed the cell phone on the clipboard, and extended her hand.

"Hello, Mr. Grady. My name is Jill Wagner, and I will be the one checking in on you and the specimens every other week," Jill introduced, her dark brown eyes never breaking eye contact with Owen. He almost snorted. " _Specimens" she said._ It reminded him of a special someone with fiery red hair and icy blue eyes. His heart began to ache a little. Swallowing the small lump in his throat, Owen shook her hand in silence.

"Yea, so, uhm, what do you want to know?" Owen asked, his mind distant. He began walking back into the enclosure, with Jill scurrying behind him.

"Any new developments? Have they exhibited any unusual behaviors? Anything like that," she answered, stumbling around on the uneven earth beneath them.

"Well, I think they're able to read human emotion. They can tell when I'm angry, sad, happy, and they act accordingly to each emotions. If I'm angry they'll back off, if I'm sad they'll be more playful, which I guess is their way to try to cheer me up," Owen recalled, "Also, they seem to have begun understanding what I say to them, so you could say they understand human speech." Jill nodded, and quickly scribbled on her clipboard. As they walked further into the habitat, the denser the foliage got.

Suddenly, she yelped, and her clipboard clattered to the ground. One of dinosaurs, Epsilon, had nudged her in the back of the knee. Owen noted Jill's look of fear, and scoffed.

"They're not going to hurt you; they're just babies," he reassured. Jill's eyebrows wrinkled in annoyance.

"Of course, of course," she muttered, leaning down to pick up her fallen clipboard. Then, Delta approached, and bit at her hand. Jill drew her hand back, and let out a shrill _EEP_. "What do you call that?!" Jill screamed exasperatedly. Owen sighed, and squatted down, holding out his arms. Gamma scurried into his embrace, and Owen stood up, dinosaur in hand. He turned to Jill, who was looking at him in wonder.

"See?" he said as he gently opened Gamma's mouth. Her teeth were shaped like dull 'U's rather than sharp 'V's. "Their teeth haven't fully grown yet. Even if they did bite you, it'd wouldn't hurt."

"Oh yes, of course," Jill grumbled, her face slightly red from embarrassment.

"Have you never worked with animals before?"

"I am Dr. Wu's assistant. I take his calls, arrange meetings, and all that. I normally don't work with...animals," Jill said, looking down. Owen crouched down, setting down Gamma, who protested by screeching loudly.

"Why don't you send down some other worker?" Owen said while stroking Gamma's head. He didn't see Jill go pink.

"Uhm, I-I'd prefer to work w-with people up close?" she stuttered. Right after she spoke, Epsilon again rammed into her shin, but this time with more force, knocking her over. Owen turned around to see Jill sitting on the ground, dust swirling around her, and a look of terror on her face. Owen was about to extend a hand to help, when Beta came sprinting out of the trees around them. Before anyone could react, B jumped on Jill's ankles, sank her teeth into Jill's high heel, and ripped off the shoe. At this point, Jill was screaming her head off, and Owen was watching with wide eyes.

B chucked the shoe in the air, which was intercepted by Delta. Delta set the shoe down, and Beta and Epsilon joined her in destroying the shoe. Gamma shrunk behind Owen, howling at her siblings, as if in disagreement. Gamma's tail whipped at Owen's ankles, snapping him out of his bewilderment at the dinosaurs' actions. Owen walked over to the three shredding Jill's shoe, with Gamma trailing behind him.

"C'mon, girls, that was rude," Owen scolded, and attempted to pry the shoe away from them. Epsilon snapped at Owen's hand, attempting to protect their treasure. "Hey! That was uncalled for, Ep." In response, Epsilon bared her teeth, but stood still as Owen picked the tattered shoe off the ground. Beta watched silently, and Delta leaped up and down, trying to reclaim the shoe, but it was out of reach.

Owen began walking towards Jill, who was still sitting on the ground, wide-eyed. Behind him, the dinosaurs screeched at one another in argument. He held out a hand to help Jill up. She took his hand, her face like a tomato now. Owen handed her the shoe. _I guess some people can't handle high heels...unlike Cla-_ Again, Owen felt his heart grow heavy. He cleared his throat.

"Ah, sorry 'bout that. I don't know what triggered that," Owen said sympathetically. It was interesting to see his dinosaurs in action like that, but he would have never dreamed it would be towards a higher-up. _I hope there are no consequences for this…_

"Hmph," Jill uttered, turning around, and storming out of the enclosure. After the door closed, Owen turned towards the dinosaurs. They were all looking at him, waiting for a response. He went over to sit down next to them, with his back leaning on a nearby tree, and the sun burning his scalp through the gaps in the branches.

Gamma curled up next to Owen. Being the youngest, Gam was always the more sensitive one, and seemed more attached to Owen than the rest of her siblings. Next to her, Epsilon kept her distance, being the second oldest, and the most aggressive and violent one out of the pack. On Owen's other side, Beta sat next to their Alpha, being the oldest one of the pack. She was the quiet leader of the pack. Then, next to Beta, Delta sat. Delta was the second youngest, and always followed whatever Beta did.

Owen looked at all of them, and sighed.

"That was some crazy shit, what you girls did," he said, almost like a compliment, "But it was a bad thing," he chided. The animals dropped their heads slightly, showing disappointment.

Owen sat like that for a while, bathing in the sun, the dinosaurs chirping softly to one another. He thought of the dinosaurs' progress, when he'd get off this island, and most importantly, Claire. _She's probably freaking out badly right now,_ Owen thought with a tight chest.

From his back pocket, he procured a small photo. It was a photo from their little honeymoon. The photo showed Claire smiling softly as he kissed her cheek. Owen's heart ached even more, staring at the photo.

Detecting Owen's mood, the dinosaurs yapped at each other, and circled around the photo in Owen's hand. He chuckled.

"You see this beautiful woman here?" Owen pointed to Claire's face with a smile. "She would've been your mommy, or something." He dug in his pocket some more, and pulled out his ring, still smiling. The animals peeped happily at his smile.

Owen thought of Wu's threats of harming Claire, and instantly grew worried.

 _God, please let her be okay..._

* * *

There was a loud hum of sound as Claire entered the airport. It was the middle of the day, so of course, the airport was packed with people. Claire pushed and shoved her way to some chairs, and climbed on top. Her eyes scanned the crowd, trying to locate a familiar blonde heap of hair.

"Claire?" a voice called from behind. Claire turned around, and her eyes met with her sisters'. A rush of relief washed over Claire, and she clabbered down from the chair. She and her sister rushed towards each other, and became tangled in an urgent embrace.

"Oh thank God you're here," Claire mumbled into Karen's ear. The two broke apart.

"Of course, Claire," Karen said softly, "You're my baby sister." Then Karen frowned. "But I haven't heard from you ever since what...happened at the park. Then, you suddenly contact me out of the blue?"

"I know, I know...Let's talk about this when we get back to my apartment," Claire said hastily. Karen nodded, noting her sister's panicky attitude.

On the drive back, the siblings didn't talk much. Claire would make a couple comments about a few landmarks here and there, and Karen just silently studied her sister.

Over the phone, Claire had explained her situation with minimal detail. All Karen knew was that Claire was pregnant, and she needed help. So, she decided to move in with Claire for a bit (being a business woman, she could just work from her laptop), until Claire could take care of herself and her child.

 _But who is the father?_ Karen had wondered. True, she could tell that Claire had changed after the incident, during their brief exchange when she had picked up Zach and Gray, but Claire had always been a workaholic, and never went on a night out, much less date someone.

"We're here," Claire announced, as she parked beside the apartment building. The two made their way up to the apartment.

"The guest bedroom is over here," Claire said, as they walked in through the door, and led the way through the kitchen, dining, and living room. Karen immediately noticed a few things...off about the apartment.

First, there were tissues everywhere. From how distraught Claire looked, Karen assumed that Claire had been crying, _a lot_. In the kitchen, there were boxes of takeout scattered across the countertops, and pots and pans stacked in the sink with blackened grime clinging to their bottoms, which Karen guessed was burnt food. _Oh God, she tried to cook, didn't she_.

Karen remembered back in their childhood, whenever Claire had attempted to cook, it had always ended up in a smoke filled kitchen, and the fire alarm blaring through the house. Finally, Karen noticed the endless piles of books stacked on the couch, floor, and coffee table in the living room. All of the books shared similar titles: _A Mother's Guide to Newborns_ , _Newborn Necessities_ , _Everything to Know about Babies!_. Karen stopped abruptly in the living room.

"Claire." Claire stopped and turned around. Her eyes followed Karens' to the mess in the living room.

"Ah, sorry! I didn't have time to clean up before you came," Claire said.

"Claire, what's going on?" Karen demanded, knowing that Claire hadn't told her everything. Claire and Karen stared at each other for a while. Then, Claire drew in a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but she felt her heart ache. _Karen's my sister...I have to tell her..._

"I-I...he...he," she tried to speak, but felt hot tears collect in her eyes. She sat down on the couch, and Karen joined her, putting a hand over Claire's.

"Hey...I'm here for you," she said softly. She hadn't seen her sister cry like this in a very long time, which meant that Claire was _really_ on the edge of breaking.

"Owen…"

"Owen?"

"My...husband...the father-"

"Husband?! You got married?" Karen blurted. Claire gave a small smile at her sister's excitement.

"Yes, I did...sorry I didn't tell you...we were trying to stay under the radar."

"No, it's okay...I'm just really surprised, and happy for you!" Karen said happily. Claire nodded, and pulled out a small photo of her and Owen on their honeymoon. She handed it to Karen.

"That's Owen."

"Ohh, that hottie you walked off with that day," Karen remembered. Claire scoffed and stared off into the distance.

"Yea...well...he's gone missing...and I have no idea where he is," Claire said, her voice trembling. Karen set the photo down on the coffee table.

"Missing? How long?"

"A few weeks…"

" _Weeks_?"

"Yes...I've been collaborating with the police to try to find him...but so far, nothing."

"He just...took off?" Karen questioned skeptically. She had never met this Owen guy, and had no idea what he was like. Claire shook her head.

"No...he wouldn't just take off...which means something happened to him," Claire said darkly. Karen nodded, and wrapped her arms around Claire.

"Hey, we'll find him, okay?" Karen reassured.

"I hope," Claire whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.

 _Owen, you said "Together, for survival."...but where are you when I need you most?_

* * *

 **a/n:** okay yay new chapter! sorry im taking longer in between updates now! i know how i want the rest of the story to progress, but i dont want to jump the gun and end the story too quickly; so im trying to prolong it a bit so im making it up events that were not in the original storyline as i go along (which is taking me longer to write and stuff lol).

thanks for reading yet again! see you next update!


	7. Chapter 7: New Insane Plans

**New Beginnings - Chapter 7 - New Insane Plans**

 _Previously…_

He dug in his pocket some more, and pulled out his ring, still smiling. The animals peeped happily at his smile.

Owen thought of Wu's threats of harming Claire, and instantly grew worried.

 _God, please let her be okay…_

...

"Hey, we'll find him, okay?" Karen reassured.

"I hope," Claire whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek.

 _Owen, you said "Together, for survival."...but where are you when I need you most?_

* * *

 _A few years later…_

Charcoal clouds drifted across the sky, obscuring the sun from view. _It's probably going to rain…_ , Owen thought dully. He leaned on the railing, above the dinosaur enclosure, and glanced down at his girls, who were prancing excitedly around the cage. Owen had been reduced to interacting to them like this, after some idiot walked into the habitat by mistake, and almost became dino-dinner.  
Owen had tried to get more people to interact with the dinosaurs, trying to prevent the events at Jurassic World from happening again, but no one was willing to jump into the cage with him (except Wu's assistant, but the dinosaurs didn't really like her anyway).

Also, to add onto the employee almost being eaten, the dinosaurs had grown to almost their full size. They were now, at least, a head taller than Owen. Dr. Wu warned Owen to stay away from the dinosaurs once they became his size, as they could easily devour him, if they so pleased, with their size. Owen wouldn't have even noticed the animals' sizes, if it weren't for the fact that one day Gamma tackled him to the ground, attempting to receive an embrace from him. _Has time really passed that quickly?_ Owen had wondered to himself.

After a while, Owen had given up on trying to keep track of time. He had hoped that the dinosaurs would grow quickly, and that Dr. Wu would just send him away once they were fully grown, but obviously, that wasn't the case. Wu had explained, after Owen had grilled him about how much longer he'd be kept on this island, that the dinosaurs were not engineered to grow quickly. Essentially, in trade for greater intelligence, the dinosaur's growth rate would be curbed.

Owen pulled out the now wrinkled photograph of him and Claire. Nearly everyday he had thought of her. _I wonder if she's moved on with her life...Will I even get to see her ever again?_

"Ah, Mr. Grady, there you are." Owen could recognize that voice from anywhere now. He stuffed the photo back into his shirt pocket.

"What do you want, Wu?" Owen said, staring off at the clouds, not bothering to turn towards the doctor.

"I want many things, Mr. Grady," the scientist responded, almost jokingly, "But I'd like you to come with me to my office. I have to discuss something...very important with you."

"Discuss? More like order," Owen said under his breath, "How long is this going to take? It's almost feeding time." For a few seconds, Owen thought of throwing Dr. Wu down to the hungry dinosaurs.

"That will depend. I'll have someone come to oversee the enclosure while you are away, to make sure the specimens don't do anything...unfortunate."

"Better make it quick," Owen scoffed. He finally turned towards Wu. "Lead the way, Dr. Wu."

* * *

Owen sat down in the black leather chair in front of Dr. Wu's desk, and rested his muddy shoes atop the spotless white desk. Wu eyed the feet with disdain, but didn't say anything.

"Well, Mr. Grady, I'll cut to the chase, for you said to, ah, 'make it quick'," Wu began, "This entire operation is very expensive, as you know. Our funds are dwindling, as we have under the radar for a long time, and, thus, are unable to receive donations from supporters. So, we decided we need to get funding back as soon as possible. We also agreed that it's time that we become...known for our work: to disseminate across the globe, and spread our creations anywhere and everywhere." Wu's eyes glinted slightly. Owen took his feet off the desk, and sat up straight.

"And what do you plan to do exactly?" Owen asked, his suspicions sneaking into the back of his mind. _They can't be serious...There's no way..._ Owen thought to himself. Wu stood up, and walked to the large window to the side of his office.

"With the last of our money, we constructed an area for our assets, to be put on display...a...park, if you will," Wu said, looking out the window. Owen stood up.  
"I've said this a million times: you all never learn. This shit's gonna fail, and you know it," Owen said angrily. He thought of the previous incident- all of those lives ruined by it.

"We're not going to let it fail." Wu turned towards Owen. "That's why we need you, Mr. Grady. The specimens you control are the only assets we have on hand that can show the world their potential."

"So what? You want to put on a show with me and the dinosaurs?" Owen mocked. Wu didn't shift.

"That's exactly what I want you to do," Wu confirmed. He turned back towards the window. "You will demonstrate how you and the dinosaurs can cooperate, disproving all the theories of how man and dinosaur cannot coincide. This will inevitably lead to the demand of more research and such, which is where InGen will come in." Owen stared at Wu's silhouette against the window. As much as Owen didn't want to go through with this crazy plan, he had to. If not, Dr. Wu was just going to force him to. Owen walked to the door, his hand on the knob.

"When do we start?" he asked dejectedly.

"Tomorrow," Wu said cooly, "Today we announce it to the world."

* * *

A little child stood in front of a television that flashed bright colors and projected various images of animated characters. Then, the kid began dancing around and singing, imitating the actions on screen. Hearing the ruckus, Claire walked into the living room, and watched her little toddler twirl around. Catching sight of his mother's wide smile, the child's bright blue eyes lit up, and he began to giggle uncontrollably.

"Mama!" he shrieked as Claire picked him up.

"Having fun without me, Nicolas?" Claire teased. Nicolas shook his head spastically in response. Claire smiled, ruffled his brown hair, and set him back down on the ground, where he began playing with his toys. Claire sat on the couch, flipping through the TV channels until she reached the evening news. Becoming disinterested, she turned her attention to her child, watching him as he happily slammed toy trucks into each other.

It had been hard on Claire, trying to raise a kid essentially on her own. Karen had stuck with Claire through it all, but Karen still had her own life to live. Somehow, Claire managed whenever Karen wasn't staying with her.

When Nicolas was first born, Claire was afraid- afraid of motherhood, afraid of raising him alone, afraid things would go wrong. But the moment she held him for the first time, nothing else in the world seemed to matter. ("See?" Karen had said, " _When_ you have kids, not _if_.")  
It soothed Claire to have something of her and Owen's, but at the same time, it pained her. The child had inherited Claire's eyes, but everything else reminded her of Owen.

After a while, the investigation to find Owen was suspended, and he was presumed dead. As much as Claire hated to admit it, there were no traces. Everyone had tried to convince her to let go, and move on, but she couldn't; she had a gut feeling that he wasn't gone.

"Mama!" Nicolas suddenly shouted. Claire blinked a few times, slowly coming out of her thoughts.

"Yes?" Claire answered. But Nicolas didn't respond.

"Mama!" he repeated. Claire then realized he wasn't directing his attention towards her. Instead, he was pointing at the TV.

Images of the old Jurassic World flashed across the screen. Claire stood up, watching the broadcast with wide eyes. Video of her, years ago, talking to the press was being shown. _Why are they bringing this up_ now _?!_ she thought frantically. Then, she read the words scrolling along the bottom of the screen: _New Jurassic Park coming soon?_

A million memories flooded through her mind, and she collapsed onto her knees. Tears pooled in her eyes.

"Mama?" a small voice echoed, pulling Claire out of her thoughts. She looked at her child and, overcome with emotion, embraced him. In her arms, he reached up, and touched her cheek, messily wiping away the tears.

"Be happy!" he said, throwing his arms up. His grin made the corners of his eyes crinkle in a familiar way, just like a certain raptor trainer. Claire looked back at the news.

She didn't want anything to do with _dinosaurs_ anymore. But she couldn't shake off a certain feeling. There was something about this whole thing that seemed off, and she needed to check it out. An absurd plan formed in her mind. She looked her son in the eyes, with a small smile.

"Nicolas, would you like to go see some dinosaurs?"

* * *

 **a/n:** mmm that time skip tho lol sorry but i had to

i should mention there was no particular reason why i named the kid nicolas...it just sounded right to me lol (nicolas grady/dearing?)

thanks for reading! see you soon!


	8. Chapter 8: Like Husband, Like Wife

**New Beginnings - Chapter 8 - Like Husband, Like Wife**

 _Previously..._

"When do we start?" he asked dejectedly.

"Tomorrow," Wu said cooly, "Today we announce it to the world."

...

An absurd plan formed in her mind. She looked her son in the eyes, with a small smile.

"Nicolas, would you like to go see some dinosaurs?"

* * *

Parking her car in front of a familiar auto shop, Claire sat thinking for a while. Just the previous night, she had decided to venture to this new...park. At first, she wanted to bring Nicolas along, for she thought he enjoy the park. But, after thinking about what could go wrong, Claire instantly changed her mind. So, now here she was.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," Claire smiled softly as she unbuckled her son out of his car seat. He rubbed his eyes, then held out his arms for Claire to pick him up. With Nicolas in her arms, Claire shut the door, locked the car, and walked into the shop.

Hunched over a car engine was Barry. He turned around as he heard the clicking of heels on concrete.

"Claire!" he said excitedly, throwing his hands up. "And little Nicolas!" Claire smiled, and Nicolas held his arms out to Barry. Claire and Barry had grown close over the years, after working together to try to find Owen. Along with Karen, Barry helped out with Nicolas many times.

"Hi, Barry. How are you?" Claire asked while handing Nicolas to Barry.

"I'm good. And you?"

"I'm doing okay," she responded with a small smile.

"That is good to hear," Barry said, "So what brings you two here today?"

"Nothing really…," Claire said. She sighed. "Listen, I'm going to be gone a few days, and I need someone to take care of Nicolas. Karen is away on a business trip, and you're the only other person I trust with him."

"This is no problem," Barry accepted with a smile. "Where are you headed?"

"Oh, uhm...no where special," Claire said with a fake smile. Barry knew better.

"Claire…," Barry began as he gave a restless Nicolas back to Claire. She pursed her lips, and hugged her son closer.

"Have you seen the news recently?" she said lowly.

"No...what has happened?" Barry asked quietly. Claire took in a deep breath.

"There's a new park," she admitted.

"What, for dinosaurs?" Barry blurted. Claire nodded. Then, Barry's eyebrows furrowed. "And you're thinking of going."

"...Yes," Claire confessed. Barry opened his mouth to speak, but Claire stopped him, "I know, I know. It's crazy. But, I just have a feeling that I need to go…"

"Claire, I don't want to see a news story about how you got eaten because a dinosaur park failed yet again," Barry said while lightly putting his hand on her shoulder. "And I know that Owen wouldn't want you to go either." Claire went rigid at the mention of Owen.

"It...it wouldn't hurt to check it out?" Claire suggested. Barry looked off in the distance.

"Owen said that too, and he was almost eaten by lions," he muttered.

"What?" Claire inquired, unable to hear Barry's words. In response, he shook his head.

"Nevermind. Anyway, you're not going, Claire. I don't want to lose another friend," Barry said softly, looking Claire in the eye. She stared back for a few seconds, then nodded.

"You're right. I don't know what I was thinking," she said. Barry smiled.

"Alright, Claire. I'll come by in the morning to pick up Nicolas," Barry said. It would be Monday tomorrow, and Claire had to work, so Barry switched around his work schedule to help watch Nicolas.

"Okay. Thanks for everything, Barry. I don't know where I'd be without any of you," Claire smiled. Barry nodded, and Claire turned around to start walking to her car. "Sorry, Barry," she whispered when far enough away from the garage.

The next morning, when Barry arrived on Claire's doorstep, he received no response after knocking on the door a few times. With each passing second, his anxiety grew, and realization set in. He pulled out the key Claire had given him for emergencies, and unlocked the apartment door. He walked through the silent apartment until he reached the note sitting on the dining room table. He cursed as he read:

 _Hi Barry,_

 _By the time you read this, Nicolas and I will be on a plane headed to the new park. I'm sorry, but I have to check it out. I'll be back before you know it, and then you can lecture me._

 _Love,_

 _Claire._

* * *

 _A few hours later..._

Standing on a balcony, Owen looked down at the lively crowd beneath. _No one ever learns_ , Owen repeated to himself for the thousandth time. Then, his stomach rumbled loudly. _God, I need a burger right now…_ He had been in and out of shows, "performing" with his dinosaurs, and thus was unable to eat all day.

He walked down the stairs that led out to the "main street" where a majority of visitors were. He weaved through the crowd, the sea of new arrivals who were getting off their ship, until he ended up on the edge of the street. He stood, scanning the buildings for a restaurant. Just like the visitors, Owen knew nothing about this new park.

Suddenly, he felt something bump into his leg. He looked down, expecting a toy animal or something from the gift shop, but instead saw a little toddler stumbling around. He picked the child up, making sure he wouldn't be trampled by the crowd. The boy smiled at him.

"Hey buddy, where's your mommy?" Owen said, studying the kid. Something about this kid seemed...off to Owen. The child's hair color matched his exactly, and his eyes were a light blue color. _Just like..._

"Nicolas!" a voice screamed. _That voice…why does it seem so...familiar?_ Owen searched the crowd for the source of that voice, who he assumed belonged to the mother. Then, the kid began squirming in his grip. Then, the toddler threw his arms out to someone behind Owen.

"Mama!" the kid yelled. Owen turned around, ready to hand the child over. But he stopped. So did the mother.

And for the first time in many years, Claire Dearing and Owen Grady stared at each other in the middle of a dinosaur park.

* * *

 **a/n:** ayyy they together again lol kinda short but hey perfect place to end hahahaahahahah

thanks for reading and see you next update!


	9. Chapter 9: Sorry

**New Beginnings - Chapter 9 - Sorry**

 _Previously…_

"Mama!" the kid yelled. Owen turned around, ready to hand the child over. But he stopped. So did the mother.

And for the first time in many years, Claire Dearing and Owen Grady stared at each other in the middle of a dinosaur park.

* * *

Neither Claire nor Owen moved an inch. Both just stared at each other, registering what was in front of them. Claire's eyes began glistening with an onslaught of tears, which caused Owen's old instincts to kick in; he started walking towards her. As he came closer, Claire took a slow, tentative step forward, but her pace picked up quickly. The two collided in a matter of seconds, with Owen's empty arm wrapping around Claire's waist, and Claire's arms encircling Owen's ribcage; Nicolas was happily crushed between his parents.

"Claire," Owen breathed into her hair after kissing her forehead.

"Owen," Claire quietly sobbed in response. The pair stayed like that for what seemed like ages, just relishing in each other's hold, not knowing what to say, until Nicolas began squirming restlessly in Owen's grip.

"Uh, I believe this is yours," Owen blurted in an odd tone as he slowly handed the child over to Claire's awaiting arms. He watched her adjust the boy in her hold. Owen couldn't quite put an emotion to what he was feeling. There was a kid: Claire's kid. _Apparently, I've been gone way longer than I thought..._

"Actually," Claire began, biting her lower lip nervously, "He's...ours." Owen felt his whole world stop.

"Ours?" he repeated, dumbfounded. Claire gave her signature small smile and nodded. _Of course...that's why he looked so...familiar to me_. Owen reached out hesitantly, and covered the little boy's hand.

"Nicolas, can you say 'Dada' for me?" Claire cooed softly, while pointing at Owen. Owen chuckled.

"Nicolas," he murmured, "Hey there, little Nick." Nicolas smiled in response and opened his mouth.

"D...da..da!" he stuttered out excitedly. Owen's eyes lit up.

"Wow...I'm really a dad…," he laughed softly to himself. He turned his attention to Claire. "But...when?" Claire looked away from him, and hugged Nicolas closer, subconsciously edging away.

"When you went...missing...remember how I was sick?" Claire recalled. Owen nodded slowly. "Well...I found out I was pregnant. I called you...over and over...but you didn't answer...," Claire trailed off, new tears forming in her eyes. Nicolas frowned at his mother's distraught state. Owen felt his chest collapse.

"God, Claire, I'm so sorry," he said with a lump forming in his throat. He approached Claire, wanting to hold her to provide comfort. But, she took a step away from his outreached hand.

"Everyday...I searched and waited for you," she said, almost angrily. She looked Owen in the eye. Now her tears were cascading down her cheeks full force. "But you never came back…," she whispered, her voice breaking. Owen stood for a second, processing Claire's words.

Claire was always a strong individual. Owen knew that, and loved that about her. He knew that, if he had been there with her, then she would have gotten through everything headstrong. But he wasn't there, which hurt him even more having to see Claire broken like this. He wasn't there for her when she needed him most. _All those promises...broken._

"Claire," Owen said while pulling her into his embrace. She struggled for a second, but gave in.

Claire wanted to forget all she went through. She wanted to forget those lonely days where she felt... _empty_. The love of her life had disappeared into thin air; he had left her alone. She felt angry, and she wanted to remain angry with Owen...but she couldn't.

"God, Owen, what _happened_?" she cried into his chest. Owen hugged her tighter, careful not to squish Nicolas.

"That day I disappeared? I was taken away and forced to work for Dr. Wu," he explained. Claire tugged away from his clutch.

" _Dr. Wu_?" she bristled. Owen nodded.

"He escaped the island with some things from the lab and made a new species of dinosaur, and he wanted me to train them...just like the raptors."

"That _lunatic_ ," Claire swore, "Why didn't you try to run? I'm sure you could have made it…"

"I wanted to, Claire, believe me," Owen responded in a strained tone, "But if I didn't cooperate with him, he threatened to hurt you." Claire stared at the ground. _So he_ had _to stay here...because of me…_

"Owen...I'm sorry," she uttered, "Because of me-"

"Hey, hey, it's okay. It's not your fault," he interrupted, taking Claire's free hand in his. "What matters now is that we're here- together." He looked at both Nicolas and Claire. All he wanted was to go home with his family. Claire noted the look in his eyes.

"Let's just...leave-get off this godforsaken island," she suggested. Her anxiety grew with every passing second. She was afraid something would happen, and she would lose Owen again, right when she had just reunited with him.

"That's one hell of an idea," Owen said lightly, "But someone has to stop Wu before that crazy son of a bitch does something disasterous."

"Owen…"

"Claire, no one else is going to even try to stop him; no one else knows what's going on," he said. He stared Claire right in the eyes. "I want you and Nicolas to leave and go home, just in case something happens." Immediately, Claire straightened herself, and placed a hand on her unoccupied hip.

"There is no way in _hell_ am I leaving this island without you," she said hotly, "If you're going to take down Wu, I'm taking him down with you."

"Claire, it's dangerous. I'm not gonna risk you and Nick-" Owen started in a stern tone. But, with a face of determination, Claire stomped past him, towards a group of buildings where she assumed Wu's office resided.

"He takes Owen away, and just assumes nothing's going to happen to him?" she muttered to herself. "Well, Wu's got another thing coming." As she stormed away in a flurry, Owen was left with no choice other than to chase after Claire, to stop Dr. Wu once and for all.

* * *

" _Dr. Wu?"_ a walkie-talkie crackled to life. Wu looked up from his computer, and grabbed the device.

"Is there a problem?" he responded.

" _Owen Grady has made contact with Claire Dearing."_ Henry felt annoyance bubble into his mind.

"I thought you were watching him?" he said, irritated.

" _My apologies, sir. He slipped away. But that's not the problem."_

"Alright, what _is_ the problem then?"

" _The two are headed straight towards your office."_ Wu raised his eyebrows. _So they're planning to come to me...Knowing Grady, it's probably to try and stop me..._ He stood up from his desk, and walked to the window, looking out at the massive crowd below.

"Stop me?" he voiced aloud. "You have no idea what you've just done, Mr. Grady." He sauntered back to his desk, and picked up the walkie-talkie.

" _Sir? What is the course of action? Stop them?"_

"No, no. Don't stop them," Wu said with a small smile, "I want you to release the dinosaurs."  
" _Sir?!"_ He shut off the gadget, before any arguing.

"Time for a field test."

* * *

 **a/n:** sorry for the long break; i got a bit busy :s

and sorry if the quality of this chapter is worse than the others…i just had a lot of trouble writing it idk

also there was a typo-mistake type thing last chapter and i really wanted to reupload but i decided against it because it just was a small error (but if you saw it, i hope it didn't bother you too much! if you didn't see it, then don't worry about it :p)

anyway thanks for reading! see you next chapter!


	10. Chapter 10: Shiny New Developments

**New Beginnings - Chapter 10 - Shiny New Developments**

 _Previously…_

"He takes Owen away, and just assumes nothing's going to happen to him?" she muttered to herself. "Well, Wu's got another thing coming." As she stormed away in a flurry, Owen was left with no choice other than to chase after Claire, to stop Dr. Wu once and for all.

…

"No, no. Don't stop them," Wu said with a small smile, "I want you to release the dinosaurs."  
" _Sir?!"_ He shut off the gadget, before any arguing.

"Time for a field test."

* * *

"Claire! Wait!" Owen shouted at the furious redhead. She stopped, and turned to face Owen.

"You're not going to stop me," she persisted. Owen put his hands on her shoulders.

"Look, Claire, I know you're mad and you probably want to rip Wu a new one," he reasoned, pausing to look between Claire and Nicolas, whose head was currently buried in his mother's neck due to his oncoming drowsiness. "But Wu is insane, and we both know that. There's no telling what he could do. I don't want to lose you and Nick." Claire's expression softened. Her arms tightened around their little boy, and her eyes locked with Owen's.

"He threatens _us_...that's why we need to take this on _together_ ," she finally responded softly, "I just...don't want to lose you again." Owen pulled her into a warm embrace, Claire's face pressed against his chest.

"And I don't want to lose _you_ ," he murmured. The two pulled apart. Then, Claire noticed something sticking out of his shirt pocket, and grabbed it. Unfolding it, she saw that it was a photo of her and Owen on their honeymoon, so many years ago.

"You kept it this entire time?" she whispered, staring at the photo. Owen smiled.

"Of course. It was the only thing that got me through this whole damned time. I even showed it to the dinosaurs." Claire laughed.

"What did they think of me?" she asked jokingly. Owen draped one arm across her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek.

"I think they liked ya. Or maybe they were just fascinated by the sparkly ring I showed them." Claire smiled at Owen and put the photo back. She turned towards the office building, glancing upwards at the towering edifice.

"Let's go," she said defiantly, "Finish this once and for all."

* * *

Owen and Claire, with Nicolas on Claire's hip, marched hand-in-hand up to the building entrance. Claire, a little more eager than Owen, stepped forward and grabbed the handle.

"Get ready for showtime, Dr. Wu," she said sarcastically under her breath. Suddenly, a scream erupted from the main street stretched out behind her and Owen. The two turned around, and saw the familiar scene of complete chaos. With wide eyes, Claire and Owen watched as tons of park visitors ran screaming, away from the main street.

"You've got to kidding me," Owen growled.

"Oh god no," Claire cried. She wanted to sink to her knees, but she saw Owen immediately began heading towards the commotion. Snapping out of her daze, she jogged towards the crowd as well, attempting to catch up to Owen. But, she eventually lost sight of him as he was swallowed by the crowd.

Claire eventually made it to the edge of the fleeing crowd, until there were only a few visitors left running away. Before long, the sounds of terrified screaming was nothing but a muffled hum in the background. Standing in the middle of the abandoned street, Claire had no idea where Owen had gone. Her best bet was the enormous performance hall where the dinosaurs were expected to be on display. With high heels tapping against the pavement, Claire strided quickly towards the large building.

Suddenly, a few lengths away, a dinosaur leaped out of a bush, its low snarl startling Claire. It didn't notice her just yet, so she dove out of sight, behind a nearby picnic table. _This isn't going to do much, but it's the best option right now!_ Claire thought frantically.

She heard the animal rustle around, the scraping of its claws on the pavement growing louder as it scampered closer. Holding her breath, Claire edged closer to the nearby gift shop, hoping that once she got inside, there would be a higher chance of survival. She shuffled slowly due to the fact that she was holding Nicolas in her arms, and she needed to be as quiet as possible. _Come on...almost there…_

The dinosaur halted, and so did Claire. She needed to pause every time the dinosaur ceased movement, otherwise the street would be dead silent, with Claire being the only source of noise. She shook slightly as she heard the animal sniff the air. She bit her lip to keep from whimpering out loud.

At that moment, Nicolas twitched in her arms, awaking from his impromptu nap. _Oh no…I need to stop him!_ But it was too late. Nicolas began screaming, making his crankiness evident.

The dinosaur's head poked up, and stared directly at the picnic table. It dashed towards it, and flipped it, causing the wooden surface to splinter into a million pieces. Claire turned, her back to the explosion, ensuring Nicolas' safety from the flying debris. Then, she twisted back around, coming face-to-face with the dinosaur.

She quickly stood up, attempting to level with the dinosaur, but it still towered over her. Its slitted eyes glared menacingly at her, but she didn't break eye contact. At this point, she was trying her best to mimic Owen and his behavior with dinosaurs. Thankfully, Nicolas had quieted down, sensing the tense atmosphere.

Claire and the dinosaur continued their stare-off. At the same time, Claire kept easing closer to the gift shop. The dinosaur cocked its head to the side, as if reading whether or not she was a threat. Before Claire could interpret the dinosaur's expression, she stepped on a plastic box, making a loud _CRACK_ resound through the street.

The dinosaur blinked, snapping out of its trance, and seemed to come to the conclusion that its prey was getting away. It snapped its jaws, and rushed towards Claire. Panicking, she threw her availible arm up, trusting that it knew she meant _STOP_.

The dinosaur hesitated. But, instead of focusing on Claire's outstretched arm, it was fixated on the silver ring on Claire's finger. Claire assumed the ring attracted the animal because the sun caused the gem to gleam intensely. The animal crept closer, bending down to peer at the accessory, until it was breathing on Claire's hand. It finally looked at Claire and studied her face. It still hadn't attacked her.

Claire's heart stopped as she remembered what Owen had said: " _I even showed the photograph to the dinosaurs...I think they liked ya. Or maybe they were just fascinated by the sparkly ring I showed them."_

"It can't be…," Claire muttered, "You _recognize_ me…?" The dinosaur chirped in agreement. Claire felt a large smile stretch across her face, thankful that she wasn't eaten, and amazed at the fact that the animal actually knew who she was. Acknowledging her cheerfulness, the dinosaur nudged under her hand, like a pet wanting to be stroked. Claire ran her hand down its neck. Nicolas also reached over and patted the dinosaur.

Abruptly, the dinosaur lifted its head up, and lengthened back to its full height, as if sensing something. It turned towards the performance hall, roared, and trotted towards the building. Claire stood still for a second, and then sprinted after the dinosaur. _Please be running towards Owen_ , she thought as she chased after the dinosaur.

* * *

 **a/n:** ayy dino trainer Claire lmao

btw i imagine the new dinosaurs to be just a lil bit bigger than the raptors (instead of being at the height of a human, they're like a foot or two taller like around 7-8 feet)

sorry for the late update

also sorry if these next few chapters seem rushed or worse; my school year is about to start soon so i want to finish this before i get too busy and never update again! (sorry but its truee ;_;)

anyway thanks so much for reading another chapter! see you next chap!


	11. Chapter 11: Defiance

**New Beginnings - Chapter 11 - Defiance**

 _Previously…_

Abruptly, the dinosaur lifted its head up, and lengthened back to its full height, as if sensing something. It turned towards the performance hall, roared, and trotted towards the building. Claire stood still for a second, and then sprinted after the dinosaur. _Please be running towards Owen_ , she thought as she chased after the dinosaur.

* * *

Owen burst into the amphitheater, its enormous doors creaking loudly on its hinges. He turned around, realizing he no longer heard footsteps behind him. He was greeted with an abandoned street. _Shit! I lost Claire!_ He had been so preoccupied with tracking down the dinosaurs, and making sure that they wouldn't cause any harm, that everything else left his mind.

He started to walk back, when he heard a bloodcurdling scream echo through the air. At the front, near the raised platform of a stage, three of the dinosaurs had ambushed a visitor. Owen watched, in horror, as _his_ animals tore someone limb from limb.

He had raised them since they were the size of lizards. Despite the circumstances, he had made a connection with them. They had so much potential, but they were being tossed aside as killing machines by a crazy, ambitious scientist.

But they didn't know any better. They had never handled freedom around such a large mass of people. So, they did the only thing ingrained deep in their bodies: they attacked; they hunted; they killed.

They were supposed to be contained in their cages in between demonstrations, but _something_ had let them out. _Wu,_ Owen thought. He felt his anger rise in his throat, burning like bile. _I have to stop them before Wu gets what he wants..._

"HEY!" he shouted impulsively. The dinosaurs looked up from their victim, their teeth glistening with layers of fresh blood, and their pupils narrowing into minuscule slits filled of bloodlust. Their snarls softened a bit when they saw Owen, but they still looked like they wanted to kill and eat him. Owen cautiously stepped forward, watching their every movement.

"Hey there Delta...Epsilon…and B," he greeted each dinosaur. The dinosaurs twitched upon hearing their names. "And where's little Gam?" Beta growled at the mention of her sister; her scowl was one of anger and betrayal. _Of course Gam wouldn't join them...she's always been too sensitive for her own good..._

"Okay, girls," Owen said, looking between each dinosaur and the bloody heap of a human before them. He saw similar grotesque piles littered throughout the auditorium. He took a deep breath in and gestured at the messes. Owen knew that the animals would understand him to some extent.

"This...this is _not_ okay. You do shit like this, and you'll be treated like some _monster_." The dinosaurs sneered as Owen said 'monster'. He stepped forward. Epsilon bared her teeth, Delta yapped angrily, but Beta just continued to glare at Owen silently.

"But you're not monsters." The dinosaurs paused, thinking over his words. "You're living, breathing animals." With each word, he treaded closer, his head tilted upwards in attempt to maintain eye contact with the massive dinosaurs.

"I know you're all smarter than this. Don't stoop to the level of some basketcase using you all for his own messed up, selfish reasons." Now, Owen stood within an arm's reach of Beta. He lifted his arm up, extending his hand out. "You girls have been amazing...Don't throw that away."

The dinosaurs stared at Owen, and began chattering. Epsilon snapped her jaws bitterly, but backed off, her red eyes still tracking Owen's every move. As Beta lowered her head, resting it under Owen's outstretched hand, Delta skittered around nervously, unsure of what to do. She eventually mimicked her sister, throwing her head under Owen's other hand.

"See? Not monsters," he said breathlessly.

"I beg to differ, Mr. Grady," a voice rang out. The dinosaurs and Owen raised their heads towards the stage, where Henry Wu was walking across currently. He was escorted by three guards, their guns bobbing upon their shoulders. Owen glowered at the ensemble.

"Wu, it's over," he fumed, "You've got nothing left to control me with, and these girls won't kill for _your_ _pleasure_ anymore." The dinosaurs, sensing Owen's anger, flared up at the sight of Wu and his people as well. Wu stared at the pack, his eyes shining with a mix of amusement and wonder.

"Incredible," he breathed, "They're understanding everything..." Owen snorted.

"Yea, they understand that you're just using them for your own evil needs; they're never going to follow _anyone_ again." Wu nodded slightly at Owen, and glanced back-and-forth between the four dinosaurs.

"You're correct, Mr. Grady," Wu said stiffly. Then, he locked eyes with Beta. "Which is why I should regain control over them." Beta sneered at Wu, and roared loudly. Her siblings followed suit. Wu smirked. "But how is the question..."

"Wu, I suggest you stop. I doubt your three men could take down three enormous dinosaurs," Owen said, squaring his shoulders, and inconspicuously walking towards Wu.

Suddenly, the hall doors crashed open as another dinosaur rushed in, with some smaller figure bobbing after it. Owen's eyes widened in recognition.

"Claire! Gamma!" Owen shouted. Gamma stomped over to her siblings as Claire ran to Owen. As the two were about to reunite, Claire and Wu made eye contact. Claire went rigid.

"Miss Dearing! Or should I call you Mrs. Grady? It's been a while," Wu said smoothly, "And that must be little Owen Junior." Nicolas buried his face into Claire's neck, feeling uneasy with Wu's demeanor. Claire pulled him closer, comforting him while glaring down Wu.

"Dr. Wu," Claire said stiffly, mocking Wu's tone, "The line ends here. You're through." The dinosaurs howled in agreement, showing their allegiance.

Wu's lips pulled into a thin line. He couldn't give up _his_ precious specimens to these...buffoons that didn't understand. He turned to his three escorts.

"Please, execute these three," he ordered, gesturing at Owen, Claire and Nicolas. Owen and Claire felt their blood run cold.

"You wouldn't...," Owen growled. But, he stepped in front of Claire, ready to protect her and Nicolas if anything happened.

"Wu, you're insane! Just stop and think of what you're doing!" she yelled, attempting to sound confident; she hoped to knock sense into him. She was unable to conceal the distress in her voice though. In response to the family's stress, the pack chattered to each other, deep in argument.

"I know exactly what I'm doing," Wu responded coolly, "I'll be taking one step closer towards my goal." He motioned towards the family again. "Do it, quickly please. Oh, and please don't injure the assets." The three men nodded and raised their weapons-their scopes finding the wide eyes of Claire and Owen.

Gunshots rang throughout the theater. And so did the roar and rumbling of four dinosaurs rushing towards the men who dare threaten their family.

* * *

 **a/n:** oh my god i am _so so_ sorry for this super late update D:

i turned into exactly what i feared! (eaten alive by school and life)

but im going to try my hardest to do this!

only a few more chapters left! c: lets finish this!

see you soon!


	12. Chapter 12: A Very Blue End

**New Beginnings - Chapter 12 - A Very Blue End**

 _Previously..._

Gunshots rang throughout the theater. And so did the roar and rumbling of four dinosaurs rushing towards the men who dare threaten their family.

* * *

Prepared for the onslaught of bullets, Owen ducked, pushing his family down with him. Only when he heard the strangled cry of one of his dinosaurs did he look up.

The pack hadn't reached Wu's men in time. Owen could only watch in horror as one of the creatures—he identified as B—collapsed to the ground, blood seeping from the bullet wounds meant for _his_ family. Wu was less than pleased. His eyes widened with rage.

"I specifically said to _NOT HARM_ the assets!" he seethed. The pack hissed at Wu. They surrounded B, all screeching in distress around her limp form. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Owen slowly shuffled over to his girls, Claire following in silence.

"God, I'm so...sorry," Owen whispered as he fell next to B, cradling her massive head in his arms. He was losing another friend; it was like the Jurassic World incident all over again.

B meekly purred. She raised her head slightly, tapping Owen's forehead affectionately as if saying "It's okay."

Claire bit her lip, hugging Nicolas tighter. Her eyes stung a bit; watching her husband break hurt her deeply as well.

Wu's eyes glinted evilly, and felt his anger disperse, as he saw an opportunity arise. "Look what's happened because of _you_ , Grady," he crooned. "But...if you never want this to happen again, just hand over the dinosaurs to me peacefully." After a slight pause, Owen stood up, and faced Wu, anger etched into all his features.

"Like _hell_ I'd do that," he growled. He looked at his remaining dinosaurs. He wanted them to rip Wu limb from limb, to get the revenge they deserved. But he didn't want them to become exactly was he had warned them of.

Before he could command them to run, and leave _him_ to destroy Wu, the doctor in question spoke, "Hm, well, your loss, Grady." Wu thought for a second, then made his mind up about something. "Please eliminate everything in sight. I have no more need for disobedient subjects. After all, these were prototypes; I can engineer _better_ assets based off this, ah, _experiment_." Wu turned on his heel, and started to walk away as his firing squad raised their large weapons.

Owen felt no hesitation in running after the mad Doctor. But Wu's bodyguards began firing, forcing Owen to dive behind some theater seats, and Claire doing the same a few rows back. He desperately looked up, trying to make eye contact with his pack and work together to take down Wu and his men.

The girls were too distressed to help though. They still surrounded Beta's body, yapping emotionally. Meanwhile, Claire had found her way to Owen.

"What do we do?" she whispered, her tone full of panic. Owen opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off as a deafening _CRASH_ sounded through the arena. The family peered over the tops of the seats.

Another dinosaur had barged through the theater doors. It was smaller than the new species, with orange eyes, and a blue stripe down its-

"Blue?!" Owen shouted, instantly recognizing her.

"This _is_ the original island of Jurassic World…," Claire realized. The bodyguards began firing at Blue, but she was too quick, and maneuvered past their shots. She slammed into them, effectively knocking them out, then turned towards the new dinosaurs, screeching in attempts to communicate.

Owen and Claire rushed over to the newcomer. As they neared, something slipped off Blue's back.

"Barry?" Both Claire and Owen questioned as they watched their friend straighten before them.

"What are you doing here?!" Claire asked. Barry looked her in the eye.

"I read your note," he replied, his tone grave. "A park like this? I didn't trust. So I followed you here to make sure you were safe."

"Oh, Barry, I'm so sorry I made you go through all this…," Claire said, her voice heavy with guilt. Barry shook his head.

"I am glad I came. I couldn't just leave my best friend's wife and his kid to certain doom," he said while quickly clapping Owen on the shoulder and ruffling Nicolas' hair. He continued his explanation, "When things started going south, I was running around trying to find you, but came across Blue roaming around instead. Then, I just followed the only sounds in the abandoned park and got here."

"Well aren't we lucky?" Owen said while Blue nuzzled next to him. "I can't believe you found Blue." Barry nodded in agreement. He then began running towards the exit that Wu had fled through.

"Enough chit-chat. We have a doctor to catch," he said. Owen and Claire nodded, following him. The pack, with their new raptor leader, stomped quickly behind the team.

* * *

Off in the distance, the team could see the white coat of Dr. Wu running towards a helipad.

"Not this time," Owen growled. Suddenly, Blue nudged Owen as she ran alongside him, and lowered her head, beckoning him. He only nodded as he jumped on her back. The two sprinted ahead of the group, coming closer and closer to Wu.

Sensing the movement, Wu turned around, eyes widening at the sight of Owen and his raptor speeding towards him. He struggled to quicken his pace, in a futile attempt to outrun the pair. Owen felt his muscles tense with anticipation as he neared Wu.

 _Almost there,_ he thought. _Just a few…_

 _more…_

 _seconds…_

 _BAM!_

A loud crack rang out as Blue slammed into the doctor. Upon impact, he collapsed to the ground. Owen slid off Blue's back, and furiously stomped towards the fallen Wu. Wu could only give a meager smile before Owen's fist collided with the side of his face. He blacked out immediately.

"Is he dead, my friend?" Barry asked as he and Claire approached. Owen shook his head.

"Son of bitch doesn't deserve that kind of gracious escape," he spat. "Better off rotting in jail." Claire and Barry nodded. Then, Blue made a noise, and Owen saw her motioning towards the thicket of forest nearby.

"Just like last time," Owen noted. Blue seemed to nod. He looked at his new pack surrounding the small raptor. "And you guys are going to follow her?" In response, the pack yapped happily. Owen nodded slowly. He pat each of them one last time. "Well, you better get going then." The dinosaurs let out a final screech, and disappeared into the jungle.

* * *

Over the next few hours, police, news, and everything of the sort swarmed the park. Thankfully, the group had been left alone in the central building for the time being.

Dr. Wu, tied up courtesy of Barry, had stirred awake, and was currently overlooking the park through a nearby window. Seeing this, Claire left Nicolas in Owen's arms while she made her way over to Wu. The slamming of her heels caused Wu to look up at her approaching. He smirked.

"Ms. Dearing," he greeted nonchalantly, and looked past her at Owen and Nicolas. "What a lovely family." His mockery was short-lived as Claire grabbed his head, forcing his attention towards her.

"Don't _ever_ mess with my family again," she spat. She released his head, and turned back towards her family, taking a small step away, but stopped. She turned back around, and with all her might, slammed her heel into Wu's face. His head fell to the side as he went unconscious.

"And it's _Mrs. Grady_ to you." Satisfied, Claire rejoined her awaiting family.

* * *

Barry, Owen, and Claire—with dear little Nicolas in her arms—stood on the destroyed Main Street, waiting for a ship to take them home, like they had so many years ago. Owen held Claire and Nicolas closely, with Barry placed his hand on Owen's shoulder.

"Looks like we're back to square one," Owen said.

"What are we going to do?" Claire asked. An old memory flared up in Owen's mind. His eyes travelled from Barry to Nicolas to Claire. He then wrapped one arm around Claire, and the other around Barry.

"We stick together. For survival."

 **~ The End ~**

* * *

 **a/n:** alright we made it to the end! get ready for some finishing notes:

first and foremost, i would like to thank each and every one of you: every read, favorite, follow, review. it really means a lot, especially seeing how i'm such a lousy uploader D: so from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU 3

now, secondly, i would like to apologize in full. i'm sorry that my updates are really spontaneous and that i take so goddamn long :c ((anger at myself!))

also, im sorry that the quality of the fic declined over time; im sure you all have experienced moving on from a fandom. so, basically, i stopped feeling for this fic, and lost the drive/purpose behind it. but i knew i had to finish it for you guys, so, im sorry the ending is really forced and is definitely not my best work as a result of that

So, again, I give my sincerest thanks to everyone for reading to the end. You all are truly amazing.

See you in the next adventure! c:


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